Thermostat.



Dl E. BELDEN.

A THERMOSTAT. l APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1911.

l Patented De0.\24, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

13.13.13ELDEN.V

THERMOSTAT.

.APPLIOATIORIILED JUNE 29, 1911.

Ptented Dec.A 24; 14912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.citizen of the United States,

UNITED' sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

DAVID E. BELDEN, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR T0 THE JEWELL MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

THERMOSTAT.

Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

Application led June 29,A 1911. Serial No. 636,000.

To all whmit may concern IBe it known vthat I, DAVID E. BELDEN,

residing atAuburn, in the county of Cayuga and State of 'New Yorkhave invented certainy new and useful Improvements in Thermostats; and I do hereby declare the vfollowing to be a full', clear, and exact description of the 1n- Avention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and 'use the same.

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter pointed out, reference being had to .the accompanying drawings which illustrate -two embodiments of my invention selected by me for the purpose of illustrating the same, and the invention is in the following description and claims.

Referring to the said drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a thermostat of the type in which'a movement of the thermostatic element with respect to normally stationary contacts, is effected by hand adjusting mechanism fo-r the purpose of changing the indicated temperature at which the said element will operate, said thermostat having my invention embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a front view.of the thermostat shown in Fig. 1 with the screen or casing removed. Fig. 3 is a rear elevatio-nl of a part of the thermostat shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a side-elevation of a thermostat of the type in which a movement of the circuit contacts with respect to a normally stationary thermostatic elementis effected by the hand adjusting devices to change the indicated temperature at which the device will operate andv having my invention embodied therein. Fig. 5 is a front view of the same with the screen or cover removed. Flg. 6 1s a rear elevation of the device shown in,Figs. 4e and 5.'

In the use of a thermostat it is necessary in order-to secure satisfactory act-ion of the instrument that the device shall bein accurate. adjustment with' a thermometer -so that if it is set so that'the thermostatic A element will change the circuits at say 70 F., it will actually perform this function when the temprature of the surrounding media in which it is used, be it air or other .-'material vreaches the designated degree, as

a standard thermometer.

indicated by Y I desirable in all thermostats it While this is A is particularly desirable in the thermostats` fully disclosed used in connection with systems 'of house or lroom temperature regulation, in which the parts are very nicely adjusted s o as to operate on a change of one degree or less, with a view of maintaining the desired temperature. The adjustment of a thermostat to bring it into harmony with thermometric indications is performed by the Aparties who manufacture, sell and install the instruments, and it frequently happens that a u thermostat which is in perfect adjustment with thermometric'indications becomes deranged in shipment and must be readjusted at the time of installation. It also frequent-ly happens that after a thermostat is installed, it becomes `-out of harmony with thermometric indications, by reason of a jar,

`or other accldental causes and necessitates This adjustment 1s usually readjust-ment. performed by experts, familiar with the instruments by resetting the contact screws, or manipulating the thermostatic element if it has become bent, and is an operation beyond the skill of the ordinary householder, or user of thermostats.

The objectof my invention is to provide means for easily and quickly adjusting a thermostat to bring it into harmony with a thermometer, which, while it will facilitate the adjustment of the same by experts o-r others in installing and operating the devices, shall yet be of such a simple character that it can be usedpby any ordinary householder at any time without removing t-he thermostat from l the wall or other supporting surface, and by means of a screw driver or other simple tool. The adjusting means here referred to is entirely ldistinct from and independent of the hand adjustment usually provided for changing the indicated temperature which' ,the-thermostat is desired to maintain, or atv Vtwhich the thermostatic element will shift from one contact to the other to make or break the electric .circuits controlledv by it, and. must not be coiifounded with such hand adjustment.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have shown a thermostat of well known type having my inventicn embodied therein. In these figures 1 represents the main frame of. the instru- "ment which is provided with means for attaching it to a Wall or other support-ing surface. This^frame is ordinarily secured directly upon a wall, by suitable screws, but -I vprefer toprovide the said frame with ,to the wall or supporting surface.

permits the instrument to be wired from the back by means of rearwardly projecting binding posts 1a, la, 11i thus permitting the instrument to be installed without removing the case or screen. l

5 represents the thermostatic element,

which is made of any preferred or suitable material or materials, usually of two strips of sheet metal having dierent units of eX- pansion. In this type of device, in which the thermostatic elementv is moved by the hand adjusting mechanism, the said element is rigidly secured to a post 6, carried by a plate 7 pivoted at its upper end at 8 to the frame 1, and having its lower end bifurcated to form arms 9, 9 which are engaged by a rotary cam 10 secured to a spindle 11 rotatably mounted in the frame 1.

The spindle 11 carries a pointer 12 which plays over a scale 13 on which is marked a scale of degrees corresponding to thermometric indications, the central indication in this instance corresponding with 70 F. and the indications on either side being spaced to correspond with variat-ions of 5 from each other. The words Cooler and Warmer are also printed on the scale here shown. The spindle 11 is provided with knurled thumb piece-or button 14, for turningthe spindle and cam, said thumb piece being Vpreferably detachable from the spindle to facilitate the removal of the screen' which can be thus provided with an aperture smaller than the head of the button or thumb piece, and of suiicient size merely to permit the passage of the spindle.

20, 20.represent the electric contact screws supported on opposite sides of the thermostatic element and preferably so closely thereto that a variation of a degree of temperature or less above or below the temperature indicated by the pointer 12 will cause the element 5 to move from one contact to the other. rlhe contacts 20, 20. are carried 'by posts 21, 21 connected with binding posts la, la and rigidly mounted on a plate 22, which is pivoted tothe framel, at 23, and carries a lug 24projecting in this instance) -to the rear of said plate and provided with a threaded aperture engaged by the setting or adjusting screw 25, which passes loosely through a part connected with the frame, and is held from longitudinal movement with respect to the frame. ln the present instance the screw passes through a lug 26 projecting rearwardly from the frame, and is provided with a head engaging the lug on one side and a xed collar (formed in this instance by the set nuts 27, 27) engaging the other side ofthe lug. I prefer to provide the frame work with two lugs 26 one on either side, so that the adjusting or setting screw may b e located ateither side of thcthermostat, to accommodate differentA situl this. instance provided with a suitable aperture through which the scale 13 can be seen.

In using the instrument constructed as just described, the proper adjustment of the thermostat to harmonize it with the thermometric indications will ordinarily be made at the factory in the usual manner, so that the j scale 13 will correspond with the scale of theA thermometer, the plate 22 being held rigidly in a central or median position. Should the thermostat get out of harmony with the thermometer before installation or lat any time thereafter, it may be easily and quickly restored to accurate adjustment by slightly turning the v.sciew 25, without removing the casing or detaching the instrument from the lwall or inv any way interfering with the electric connections. I v

Let itbe supposed that this` instrument is installed in a house and electrically connectedwith the battery and motor of a damper controlling apparatus, such for example as is lilliistrated in U. S. Letters Patent granted to C. E.i Jewell, No. 774,882,.dated Nov. 15, V1904 and let it ybe supposed that owingt'o a jar, or other accidental circumstance, the delicate thermostatic element has been thrown out of adjustment so that when the pointer of the hand regulating 'device stands at 7 0v on the scale the device operates at actual thermometric temperatures aboveV and below 80 F., as indicatedA by the thermometer. In such case obviously v the. thermostatic element has Ibeen bent to x the left (Fig. 2) and with the ordinary thermcstat it would be necessary .to remove the case and painstakingly readjust thecontact screws 20, 20 separately. With a device embodying my invention it is only necessary. to

seti the pointerl on scale 13 to 'indicate the degree of temperature indicated by the therj mometer at the moment the adjustment is made, and then by means of an ordinary screw driver (or special tool as preferred) to rotate the screw 25' so Nas to swingx'the plate 22 and contacts 2O to the left unt-il., the

.desired adjustment is secured. As the plate Y 1s moved to the left assoon. as a point fracreached the thermostatic element which in.

the case supposed will be in engagement with the left hand contact 20, will be released thereby and engaged by the right hand contact 20, which will operate the motor and dampers, and indicate to the operator or householder that the approximate adjustment Vhas been reached. This position of the apparatus would be sufficiently accurate for ordinary purposes but lit' a finer adjustment is desired the screw 25 can be turned backward'suliciently to cause engagement with the left hand screw, when the device will be in absolute adjustment. Itis not necessary to see the set screws to ascertain whether or not they are in contact with the blade as the operation of the motor and damperswill give an audible indication thereof, as will be readily understood.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6I have shown for purposes of illustration, my invention embodied.- ina thermostat of the type. wherein thev thermostatic element is normally held rigid and the hand adjustment is effected. by moving the contacts with respect thereto. In these figures 101 represents the base, and

105 is the' thermostatic element which is rigidly secured at one end to a post 106, which in this instance 'is mounted on a plate' 122 pivoted to the-frame at123. This plate carries a lug 124 having `a threaded aperture engaged by the setting. screw 125, whichextends through'one of two apertures 126 in a rearwardly extendingflange ofthe frame, and -is provided with the usual head on one side of said ange and with a lixed collar on the 'otherside formed by. the set' nuts' 127. fIhe contact screws 120 are carried by 4posts 121 secured to a plate 107, pivoted to the ramefat 108 and having a gear segment vv109 at its lower edge meshingwith a pinion 110 on a rotatable spindle 111, which also carries pointer 112 swinging over a scale 113, and a thumb piece 114 for turning said spindle, pointer and pinion. The posts 121 extend through a slotl in the frame of suficient size to permit the movement of the 'j plate 107.- 130'is the screen','carrying the thermometer- 131.

It will be readily seen that this construction is the converse of that shown in Figs. 1, 2.and 3 and the setting of the device in ,fha'rmony'with thermometrio indications is vention is capable of being embodied in other forms than those herein shown which I have selected for purposes of illustration,

and that it may be appliedto thermostats of other types than those herein shown and in which the setting mechanism may be varied according to the construct .on of the ap- 'paratus to which it is applied to eiect,

when desired, an adjustment of the relative positions of the thermostatic element and `the electric contacts whichcoperate therewith.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a thermostat,.the combination with .oneof said movable parts for causing the thermostat to operate at 4different predetermined temperatures, and an auxiliary adjusting mechanism connected with-the other of said movable parts, for adjusting the same with respect to the frame to harmonize the instrument with thermometric indications.

2. In a thermostat, the combination with a' main supporting frame; of two supporting platesi connected movably with respect to said frame, a thermostatic element carried by one of said plates, a pairjof contacts adapted to coperate with the thermostatic element, carried by the othery of said plates, a main adjusting device operatively connected with one of said plates, for causing the thermostat to operate at different predetermined temperatures, and an auxiliary adjusting device cpnnected withv the other of said plates, for adjusting it and the part or parts carried thereby with respect to the frame lto harmonize the instrument with thermometric indications. A

3'. In a thermostat, the combination with a main supporting frameof two supporting plates connectedmovably withIA respect to" said frame, a thermostatic elementv carried by lone of said plates, a -pair of contacts adapted to coperate with-the thermostatijc element, carried bythe other of said plates, a main adjusting/device o eratively con-^V nected with one of said plat s, for causingthe thermostat to operate at ydifferent pree determined temperatures, an adjustingscrewy vconnecting said frame and the other of sald plates for adjusting sai'd plate in both directions longitudinally o-f the Iscrew and holding it rigidlyat all times in its adjusted position.

4. -In a thermostat, the combinationwith the main frame of ya member comprlslng a thermostatic element, a member comprlsing contacts coperatin with said thermostatic element, a main adjusting device connected with one of saidmembers foncausing the thermo-stat to operate at different predeter mined temperatures, an auxiliary adjusting screw interposed between the other of said members and the main frame, for harmonizing the instrument with thermometric indications, said screw having av threaded engagement wit-h one of said parts and an engagement-with the other preventing the longitudinal movement of the screw with respect thereto, whereby said screw holds its engaged parts rigidly in adjusted position.

5. In a thermostat, the combination with a. thermostatic element, contacts supported in coperative relation therewith, and a main adjusting mechanism for altering the -relation of the said thermostat-ic element va thermostatic element, contacts supported in coperative relation therewith, and a mam adjusting mechanismfor altering the relation of the said thermostatic element with respect to said cont-acts, to cause it to operate at different predetermined temperatures, of an auxiliary -adjust-ing mechanism forchanging the relative positions of the thermostatic element, and said contacts to lharmonize'the instrument with thermometric lndlcations, without disturbing the said.

main adjusting mechanismv nor the adjustment of the individual contacts with respect to .their supporting means, said auxiliary adjusting mechanism' comprising a screw, engaging a part connected withthe 'frame and the said normally fixed part and having a threaded engagement with one of said parts and means for preventing the lo-ngitudmal movement of the screw with respect to the other of said parts, said `frame being provided with a screw engaging part at each side, whereby the adjusting screw may be located at either side' of the instrument.

7. In a thermostat, the combination with 'a main frame, of a thermostat-ic element movably mounted in respect to said frame, a plate movably secured to the .trame contacts adapted to cooperate with the thermostatic lelement, carriedA by said movable plate, a

main adjusting mechanism connected with said thermostatic element for causing lthel thermostat to operate at different predetermined temperatures, and an auxiliary adjusting screw connectingthe frame with the said movable plate to adjust' said plate and the contacts carried'v thereby with respect to the thermo-static element to harmonize the instrument with thermometric indications.

8. In a thermostat, the combination with a frame, of a thermostatic element movably mounted on the frame, a plate pivotally secured to said frame, normally lixed cont-actsM mounted o-n said plate in coperative relation with said thermostatic element, a main adjusting mechanism connected with the thermostatic element for changing the relation of said element with said contacts, and an auxiliary 4adjusting screw, engaging said frame and said pivoted plate, for adjusting said plate and contacts laterally to harmonize the thermostat with thermometric indications, said screw having an operating part accessible to an operator .without removing any part of the mechanism.

9. In a thermostat, the combination with a frame, provided with rearwardly proj ectin offsets 'for engaging a support-ing surface, and holding the frame away from the same, a thermostatic element supported by said frame, contacts supported by said frame in coperative relation with said element, said contacts and the thermostatic element being the one in normally xed and the other in movable relation with said frame, a main adjusting mechanism for varymg the relation of said contacts with said element and connected with the movable part or parts, a lug on said frame projecting rearwardly therefrom, and an adjusting screwl engaging said lug and said normally fixed part for harmonizing the thermostat with thermome'tric indications.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID E. BELDEN.

Witnesses:

EDWARD G. Wr'oins, C. D. Fownna. 

